What is your skimmer and are you happy with it?

[Paintguru]

Just trying to get this information in one place. I did a search but didn't find too much on people's skimmers. I'm looking to replace my craptacular ER skimmer which seems to do very little for me. Just curious what everyone used and if you are happy with it? I guess this can be evaluated by skimmate production and perhaps a lack of algae problems, but however you want to rate your skimmer is fine with me. Thanks.

 

[JGoslee]

I'm using a Deltec AP600 on my 58gal and a ATI bubble master 200 on my 90gal and I love both skimmers. On a scale of 1-10 I give them both 10's. Neither tank has any nuisance algae. I get a full collection cup of nog about every week with the Deltec. With the ATI the collection cup is huge so I get a full cup about every 3 weeks.

 

[surfn]

i have the H&S A110 on my 50g cube (bout 60g total).

i'm not sure i have this thing working correctly. sometimes i pull allot of skimmate. then it stops skimming for a while. i only fill the collection cup up about 1/4 before it virtually stops skimming. so i pour it out and clean it up, and it skims up to 1/4 again before stopping........i must be doing something wrong

 

[fishes2889]

I have a CSS 65 on my 45g total system, and its does the job. I give it a 7 on a scale of 1-10. Good skimmer for the price, and i always get good stuff out of it...

Only thing i dont like about it is you have to keep the venturi, salt creep free, and it overflowed a bit once...

 

[Zoanuts]

Debbie and I Run Life Reef Skimmers. Very well built, Jeff is easy to talk to and different styles of skimmers and I can take my skimmers and change them all over to down draft, counter current, or just run in venturi or all three!! No mods necessary! True plug and play. No cleaning of needle wheels. Only need to clean the cup!
More bang for the buck!

 

[Hopkins]

I run the ATI Bubblemaster 160 on my 45. I love it. Much better than my old euro reef.

 

[greyfox]

I have the ATI BM 250 in my 180g, it's working great.

 

[surfn]

I'm using a Deltec AP600 on my 58gal and a ATI bubble master 200 on my 90gal and I love both skimmers. On a scale of 1-10 I give them both 10's. Neither tank has any nuisance algae. I get a full collection cup of nog about every week with the Deltec. With the ATI the collection cup is huge so I get a full cup about every 3 weeks.

Jgoslee.......how do you feed your skimmer? can you explain?

i saw something about a feeding pump located at the bottom of the sump isn't as effective as a feeding pump located at the top of the sump.....

 

[JGoslee]

The BM200 is pump fed from the bottom of the sump.

My Deltec is gravity fed from my overflow. My plumbing is exactly like this diagram.

 

[surfn]

how were you able to get the gph going to the skimmer adjusted correctly?

 

[surfn]

i put some silicone lube on the gasket on the bayonet that attaches the skimmer cup to the body.......anyone think that could cut down on the bubble performance?

 

[da6d2003]

ATI bubble master 250. It's a bit finicky but work well overall.

 

[Paintguru]

ATI bubble master 250. It's a bit finicky but work well overall.

Please define "finicky". The smaller ATI is close to the top of my list. However, after this current skimmer, I do not want something that I have to screw around with every day or two.

 

[edwing206]

I have an ASM G3 on my 60(I think it's a 55 gallon not sure, I like 60 better ) and am happy with it.

 

[exspecialle]

skimmer

I use a red sea prizm deluxe on my 70g. I think it does a good job but this is all i have used. I like the surface skimmer atachment.

 

[da6d2003]

Please define "finicky". The smaller ATI is close to the top of my list. However, after this current skimmer, I do not want something that I have to screw around with every day or two.

By finicky....

This skimmer forced me to do something that I'd been meaning to do forever which was adding an ATO unit. If the level in the sump varies "too much" the skimmer will act up. It's all good though. From a turbofloater 1000, to 2 different euroreefs to the BM250 it's one that I'm going to stick with for now.

Oh yeah, I forgot a couple of Aqua skimmers in there too.

 

[da6d2003]

Raptor should chime in here too. I think he's probably tried a skimmer or 2 in his time.:hammer:

 

[Paintguru]

I'm pretty sure he is a big ATI fan. However, I like to get opinions from far and wide before plunking down that kind of cash .

 

[da6d2003]

Do you have any size limitations?

 

[JGoslee]

how were you able to get the gph going to the skimmer adjusted correctly?

For the AP600 the flowthrough rate should be around 160gph. 150gph takes approximately 24secs to fill 1g so I set it at 150gph and then manually adjusted it to around 160gph with a ball valve.